ST. GEORGE, UTAH. – Utah Valley University softball absorbed another tough day at the Red Desert Classic on Saturday at the Canyons Complex in St. George. The Wolverines fell 7-2 to UNLV in their first game, followed by a heartbreaking 9-6 setback to the Montana Grizzlies in their second game of the day.

UVU (0-8) looked poised to earn its first win of the season against Montana (7-11). The Wolverines led 6-2 heading to the seventh, and final at-bat for the Grizzlies, but were unable to finish as Montana pieced together a 7-run inning to escape with the 9-6 win.

In the opener versus UNLV (12-5), four unearned Rebel runs in the fourth were too much for UVU to overcome.

GAME ONE VS. UNLV 
UVU played catch-up for most of the game; allowing single runs in the second, third, and seventh innings. But the Wolverines' biggest undoing was four unearned runs they allowed UNLV to score in the fourth inning in the 7-2 setback.

UVU pitched out of trouble all game, but couldn't overcome two critical defensive miscues in the four-run fourth frame.

Trailing 6-0, UVU scored single runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings. Basia Query doubled home Lyndsay Steverson for the Wolverines' first run in the fourth inning, and Caragh Morris roped a line-drive homer for UVU's second and final run of the contest in the fifth.

Despite suffering the setback, Query (2-for-3) and Morris (2-for-4) each recorded two hits apiece for the Wolverines in the ballgame.

GAME TWO VS. MONTANA
UVU led 6-2 heading to the final inning, but watched Montana send 10 batters to the plate and score seven runs in its final at-bat to win 9-6.

The biggest blows for the Grizzlies were home runs off the bats of Sydney Stites and Madison Saacke. Stites shot made it a two-run game with one out in the decisive seventh inning, while Saacke's pinch-hit two-run shot made it a three-run lead for Montana.

The tough-luck loss wasted a great relief performance out of UVU pitcher Makayla Shadle, who, until Stite's homer had held Montana scoreless since entering in the fourth inning. Head Coach TJ Hubbard replaced Shadle after walking the next batter. But, pitcher Bailey Moore was unable to quiet the Grizzlies' bats, as Montana went on to complete the come-from-behind victory.
 
UP NEXT FOR UVU

The Wolverines conclude play in the Red Desert Classic on Sunday with a single game against Iowa State starting at 12:30 pm MT. UVU then travels to Reno for the Nevada Wolf Pack Classic the following weekend. The Wolverines will play host Nevada twice as well as St. Mary's twice in the tourney.